Spring-heel.



'R. KURZ.

SPRING HEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 1914.

1,127,456. Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

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THE NORRIS PETERS CO" PHOTD-LITHO WASHINGTON. D. C

ROBERT KURZ, 0F LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS.

SPRING-HEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedlFeb. 9, 1e15,

Application filed June 1, 1914. Serial No. 841,970.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT KURZ, a citizen of the United States,residing at Leavenworth, in the county of Leavenworth and State ofKansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSpring-Heels, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in spring heels for boots andshoes, and my object is to provide a device of this character soconstructed as to lessen the jar upon the muscles when the heel isplaced upon the ground in walking, and to give an upward impulse to theheel when the weight is thrown downward toward the toe in taking a step.

A further object is to provide a simple and inexpensive device of thischaracter which will clean itself of mud or other foreign matter likelyto interfere with the resiliency of the device.

In order that the invention may be. fully understood, reference will nowbe made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a broken side elevation of a shoe provided with my springheel. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the upper convolution of the springforming an important feature of the invention. Fig. 8 is a plan view ofthe tread holder and tread portion of the device. Fig. 4- is a section,enlarged, on line IVIV of Fig. 1.

A designates a shoe or boot of ordinary or preferred form, from whichthe customary leather heel is omitted.

1 designates a coil spring constituting an important feature of thepresent invention. Spring 1 is, preferably, tapered toward its lower endand made in the general conformation of the usual leather heel, in planview. The upper portion of the spring 1, is bent into a number ofconvolutions 2, adapted to fit snugly against the underside of the shoeA, to which it may be reliably secured by any suitable means, staples 3being shown in the present instance.

a designates a tread holder consisting, preferably, of sheet metalhaving a groove or seat 5 extending around its upper portion to receivethe lowermost convolution of the spring 1, which is firmly held in itsseat by clips 6 struck up at intervals from the treadholder 4.

7 designates the tread which is firmly secured in the tread holder l byany suitable means, screws 8 being shown for that purpose in the presentinstance. Tread 7 may be made of any durable and, preferably, noiselessmaterial, such as leather, rubber, etc. The tread holder 4: and thetread 7 have large openings 9 and 10, respectively, therein to allow mudor other debris to fall therethrough.

Should the wearer be compelled to walk in mud deep enough to adhere tothe coil spring 1, it will be forced therefrom before becoming hard, bythe up and down movements of the spring convolutions, at each step ofthe user. As the mud falls from said convolutions, it drops through theopenings 9 and 10 instead of lodging upon the tread holder and cloggingthe spring, as would be the case if said tread holder was in the form ofa solid plate.

Practically the only wear on the device will come upon the tread 7,which can be readily renewed at small cost, so that the expense ofkeeping my device in repair will be considerably less than the cost ofrepairing the ordinary leather heel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a coil springarranged to be secured to the underside of a shoe, a tread having anopening therethrough and a seat in its upper surface to receive thelower convolution of said spring, means to secure said convolution inits seat, and a tread secured to said tread holder.

2. A. device of the character described, comprising a coil springarranged to be secured to the underside of a shoe, a holder having clipsstruck upward therefrom to engage the lower convolution of the spring,and a tread secured in said holder.

In testimony whereof I afl ix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

- ROBERT KURZ.

Witnesses:

G. D. Oennssrrnnr, F. C. SGHREIBER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 21.

